


Paladin

by yeaka



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Genre: Gen, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 16:55:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20642522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Romani protects her ranch fromthem.





	Paladin

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: My fav Let’s Player is doing [a first time run of Majora’s Mask](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz-laGlrRYc&list=PLfcejBUbhSFG2o2PlJH6iSrbGH3T81fdz&index), and it’s reminding me how much I love this bizarre misadventure. :,) This has **spoilers** for a side-quest. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own The Legend of Zelda or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

She sucks in a breath and collects her bow. The arrows are waiting in a crate outside the barn, like the wilted creature she made out of a balloon. She’s been practicing on it for days and days. She’s become a much better shot than when she first started. It’s going to be tough, but Romani has hope. 

She tells herself she can do it—she’s a hero—and walks softly across the wooden planks of their bedroom floor, careful not to wake her sister. Cremia still doesn’t believe her, even though all the proof is there—the cows _always_ disappear just before the carnival. Every year, their farm’s impacted. Cremia thinks it’s those suspicious men that skulk around Milk Road, but Romani knows the truth. She knows it’s really _them_.

This year, she’ll stop them. She’s ready. She cricks open the bedroom door and squeezes through, padding quietly down the stairs. Then it’s out into the open night. The crisp air tickles her cheeks, the cool breeze stirring the bottom of her dress. She looks up at the dark sky, at the twinkling stars, at the enormous moon that seems to fall closer every day. Its face used to horrify her. No longer. She’s a hardened warrior now. Nothing can scare her any more. 

By the crate she stands on for target practice, Romani waits. Her favourite little Scottie dog isn’t around to cheerfully bark at her, but that’s for the best—she can’t afford adorable distractions. She hopes wherever he is, he’s safe. Like her cows. She hopes they aren’t worried about what’s going to happen. She hopes they have faith in her and know that Romani will always have their back, even if none of the adults do.

Something chimes in the distance. The “music” begins—a faint, haunting melody that whistles in her ears. It prickles along her skin, leaving gooseflesh in its wake. Romani’s heard that eerie sound before. It comes once a year, ever year. This is the last time it’ll ever come, because she’ll make them think twice about trying to get one over on the great Romani. 

The glowing orb zips across the open field, and then it’s starting. A yellow-white light emerges right before her, and the sinister creature floats closer with uplifted arms and lustrous eyes. A sudden shiver of fear snakes down Romani’s body. Then she recalls her courage and lifts her bow, letting the first arrow fly. It pierces the creature in a flash of red light, and it disappears. Her used arrow clatters to the earth in its wake. There’s no time to run and collect it. Another one is coming.

Romani races to the side of the barn, fumbles the first shot, but lands the second, only to spot a third being hovering behind the barn. With a hitch of breath, Romani runs after it. As soon as its slain, she’s circling back to the front. She takes down too more, but they keep coming. And coming. They’re _everywhere._ They coalesce around her faster than she can dispatch them. Worse, she knows she’s running out of arrows. Romani’s will crumbles bit by bit, and she starts to feel _fear_.

Then the cry of a wild horse pierces their lilting song. Romani’s heart pounds. A boy breaks through, taking out two creatures in swift succession, and circling around her, the familiar red-white horse neighing its return. Romani cries delightedly, “Grasshopper!”

The boy nods. His expression is as serious as the first time they met. She’d told him to come back, but she wasn’t sure he would. He almost didn’t make it. But she thinks there’s still time. 

All at once, she returns to the role of leader—the general that’s been planning this all year. She tells him, “I’ll go to the barn and protect the cows from there—you stay outside and take out the rest of them!”

He nods his acceptance and shoots an arrow over her head, dispelling a creature behind the barn. He’s an excellent shot: Romani has complete faith in her soldier. 

She nods too, salutes, and rushes towards the innocent mooing of her subjects. Romani feels better, and hope returns.


End file.
